The origins of American political parties: a crash course

Long before there were Republicans and Democrats, there were Federalists led by Alexander Hamilton...

And the Anti-Federalists led by Thomas Jefferson.

The Federalists were the first American political party in 1787.

They were businessmen and merchants who wanted a strong central government to protect industry.

In opposition to the Federalists there was a group that wanted a smaller government that wouldn't interfere with their lives. These mostly small farmers and planters became known as the Anti-Federalists.